Chiang Mai News ends print edition, goes digital

Chiang Mai News ends print edition, goes digital

The final print edition of the oldest newspaper in the northern region hit the streets on Monday, March 5 - which was also Reporters' Day.

The last print issue of Chiang Mai News on Monday bids farewell to the paper edition as it will focus on the online version.

"From the print edition to digital age. Chiang Mai News 4.0," the frontpage headline of the Chiang Mai News declared.

"Thank you all sources who support us, advertisers and readers," the sub-headline said.

The newspaper chose Reporters' Day to bid farewell to print readers after being a regular on newsstands for 27 years.

It is is the oldest newspaper in the northern region, aimed at a general readership with the focus on Chiang Mai and other northern provinces.

Chiang Mai News however continues to publish in digital format, on its website.

The veteran Thai-language newspaper followed the trend in deciding to cease publishing a print edition, as readers increasingly turn to the internet for their news and entertainment.

Its circulation had halved from 40,000 five years ago to less than 20,000 copies on its last day.

Chiang Mai News editor Insom Panyasopha told Thai PBS the company had endured rising production costs of around 10 baht per copy, while the price was kept at only 5 baht.

Sarawuth Tiews, an executive of Chiang Mai Daily Co which runs the newspaper, told the Thai public broadcaster that the change was necessary to reduce burgeoning overheads and expand readership by going completely online, as readers shifted to the digital platform. 

The digital edition remains free, and not hidden behind a paywall.

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